Omaha daily bee., 1887-03-20

Some years ago he became engaged IN Il fight
with another man, whom he finally knocked
down with heavy china pitcher. The man
received an ugly scalp wound, which the
doctor sewed up. One would naturally sup
pose that the victim would not have been
called upon to pay for the surgical attend
ance, but 1t Is a fact that the doctor presented
bill for $40, and what is more he got the
money. There's nothing like having an eye
to business.
THE GiDDY OLD EARTH.
1t Is Constantly Rising and Falling
and has Little Stability to Boast of.
The notion that the ground is natur.
ally steadfast is an error-an error which
arises from the incapacity of our senes to
appreciate any but the most palpable,
and, at the same time, most exceptional
of its movements, says Professor N. S.
Shaler in Scrlbner's Magazine. The idea
of terra lirma belongs with the ancient
belief that the earth was the center of the
universe. 1t is indeed, by their mobility
that the continents survive the unceas-
ing assaults of the ocean waves and the
continuous down-wearing which the
rivers and glaciers bring about.
Were it not that the continents grow
upward, from age to age, at rate which
compensates for their erosion, there
WOulu Dc III lOI u IutdlTe VI llIS;
if they had grown too slowly their
natural enemies, the waves and rain,
would have kept them to the ocean level;
if too fast, they would lift new surfaces
into the regions of eternal cold. As it is,
the incessant growth has been so we'll
measured to the needs that for a
100, ,OO0, 900 years, more or less, the lands
have afforded the stage for prosperous
life. This upward growth, when meas
nraf tarmc nf human nynnrionnn. IL
probably does not exceed, on the aver
age, one foot in three or four thousand
years. The rate varies in times and
places. Under varying conditions, as
when glacial sheet Is imposed on the
continent as it was, in the immediate
past, on the northern part of North
Ameriea-a wide area of the ice-laden
land sank beneath the sea, to recover its
level when the depressing burden was
removed. Still the tentency of the con-
tinents Is to elevation, and even the tenn
porary sinking of one portion of their
area is probably, in all cases, compen-
sated by uplifts on another part by
which new realms are won from the sea.
A Little Talk with the Moon.
Hartford Times: 1t is singular why
people who are usually kind ana sensi-
BILE should become angry at honest diff.
discussion. Emerson once said that he
''never allowed himself to enter into
controversy with anybody" But Emer.
son, unlike ordinary people, could rest
serenely on his intention, having an out.
let for his ideas IN his books, behind
which he could fire his unorthodox bull
lets, hitting orthodox, unretaliating world
that seldom came in personal contact
with him.
And if all persons made up their minds
never to argue, society would come to o
standstill.
In meeting with violent opposition my
self. always wish to think of the moon,
or rather one particular conversation it
| once held with me, though | am sure to
forgot 1t when excited and angry, which
| is o sorrow and modification afterward,
| since 1t took 80 much trouble to teach me
better. 1t happened in this way. | never
knew much about the laws of astronomy,
| gravltation and attraction, but gazing
fully at an unusually luminous moon one
double flood of light through my con-
sciousness, and in u most social. cOntiden'
tial, but unexpected way, said: you
see am held here in space in spite OF
myself, by opposite forces pulling both
| ways at once"
rs that the reason you don't fall
down." exclaimed in delighted aston
you didn't, especially into the arms OF
| your faithful lover, the sea"
"Yes," reflected the moon, "the sea
| possesses mysterious attraction for me
and yet there are higher powers that
| draw me away and keep me safely bal
| anced between them all, where, unless
some of them give way, which is improb.
able, am likely to remain here for some
| time to come to come to make your funny
little world as pleasant as possibly
can"
This was quite long speech for the
moon, and after fully recovering from its
effects l timidly ventured, 81 long TO see
your other, side. ! know you have an
other one, because ! have seen just the
very beginning of it through big tele-
phone in Washington.
True, and have often noticed that
telescope and many others pointed at
me-" she proudly laughed, mischievously
added: ''They don't know me yet.
have another side, and" but as if re-
called to "a sense OF her dignity and mys-
stery, she drew a feecy veil OF silvery
cloud over her brilliant, mocking face,
| and shut out all further revelations.
But she mas given me needful lesson
for which 1 was truly grateful. Alter.
ward went to somebody VINO kuew, and
| had told me falsely of the sublime way in
which she holds her place IN the heavens.
1t is the same with hu man beings.
Their different opinions are the worlds
great spiritual forces, pulling in extreme
and opposite directions to keep 1t moving
safely balanced and free from the stag
nation that would end it if everybody
thought alike. This is not saying that
people cannot change their opinions.
| As that is constantly happening
| in many different directiO ms 1t keeps the
| balance even IN the spiral circles OF pro-
| gressive thought evolution. And as the
moon repeats every time she sheds her
planet. what is the use of getting
| angry at the wise and natural law that
keeps us where We all belong2"
A recent visitor to tn eMammoth cave looked
| up at the sides OF the great dome and asked
| the guide what the, large black spots were, For
| answer he went to the nearest and tendefiy
| took down q small bat. There were mulions
| OF them. all hanging by the feet, heads 90 wl
| and In cOmatOs0 condition. Ihey spend
/ hnrA nd A.N